Kansas Library Removes LGBTQ+ Books in Order to Keep Lease

[Eugene]

Source: The Advocate

Kansas Library Removes LGBTQ+ Books in Order to Keep Lease

St. Marys Public Library yielded to city commission demands influenced by the Society of St. Pius X, an anti-LGBTQ+ group, which has sparked concerns over censorship of LGBTQ+ content.

CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS
NOVEMBER 24 2023 9:04 AM EST

In an alarming development for the LGBTQ+ community in Kansas, the public library in St. Marys has removed all youth-oriented LGBTQ+ books from its shelves to secure its lease for another year.

This decision, highlighted by the Kansas Reflector, was in response to pressure from the city commission, influenced by the Society of St. Pius X, a religious group opposed to LGBTQ+ content.

City commissioner Gerard Kleinsmith had been particularly vocal in this debate, expressing his desire to terminate the library’s lease due to the inclusion of transgender-inclusive literature, which he derogatively refers to as “garbage,” according to the publication.

Despite claiming to oppose censorship, Kleinsmith and other commissioners, all members of the Society of St. Pius X, have made it clear that their religious views heavily influence their decisions regarding the library’s content.

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Read more: https://www.advocate.com/news/kansas-library-removes-lgbtq-books